Thaipusam

George Town. PENANG – 20 January 2019

I have already written about this great Hindu festival in Thaipusam: “My Malaysia” Photo Series (3).

Those photographs impressed many people, and even now I have the chills to see them. I remember very well the emotions of those two days.

Two years later, today 28 January, it's celebrated in Malaysia.

Certainly, like any public event, all in a different way and with many limitations this year, because Covid-19.

So I wanted to remember how I lived it, showing you other photographs that you haven't seen from those two days.

 

The first day in Little India in the heart of Penang.

The second day in the Waterfall Hill Temple.

 

George Town. PENANG – 20 January 2019

 

Thaipusam is the worship of the Lord Murugan, a warrior deity, who received the spear from Parvati to kill the demon Soorapadman, and it's celebrated by the Tamil community on the full moon night of the Tamil month of Thai (January, February) which coincides with the star Pushya, known as Poosam in Tamil. The prayer is divided into two days, in the first the believers gather from the first light of dawn in Little India in George Town, with chariots and oxen, for the procession until the most symbolic moment of the day: the breaking of the coconuts, to thousands.

The Balathandayuthapani Temple, officially the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Kovil, but known as Waterfall Hill Temple or “Thaneer Malai” in Tamil, with its 513 steps and 21.6 meters in its highest tower (gopuram) it's the largest temple dedicated to the Lord Murugan outside India.

 

Waterfall Hill Temple. PENANG – 21 January 2019

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